So Like A Rose
by SweetAriadna
Summary: Rogue is looking for a way to control her mutation, Someone is trying to frame her for a crime she is yet to know she has committed and the midst of it all its seems like the the Ragin Cajun, Remy LeBeau is dealing the cards for this Southern Belle, whether it will be the winning hand, only time will tell... RomanceXSuspense Read & Review.
1. Chapter 1

**SO LIKE A ROSE**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the X-Men franchise; I just borrow the characters purely for my own (and maybe yours!) entertainment.

Author Note: Welcome new and old readers! Thank you for the support and apologises for my lack of commit. To keep this short, I am planning on republishing the first three chapters that have been released in 2012. The purpose is improve the follow of reading, fix typos, add more content and ensure the old thoughts and ideas are in sync when I'm going to drop new chapters this month.

Please comment, follow and fav if you want to show support and receive updates. :)

* Italics within text are for thought or emphasis.

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE**

It was a Saturday afternoon, with the sun at its highest point in the sky. Rogue was by herself roaming towards the north east of the Xavier institute grounds, navigating herself slowing till she knew she was alone at her favourite spot.

Rogue approached a tall oak tree, her tall oak tree. The only place in the vast grounds, that she felt a place of familiarity and belonging. For some strange reason she always thought that the tree had a sense character, standing proud and solitaire from the rest of the greenery that was surrounding, inviting her to come and forget her worries…school, mutants, people, the fight for survival, and the worst of all, her loneliness.

She moved herself to lay in the shade, created by the thick branches of the oak tree. The wind blew gently which caused a few leaves to fall, one in particular she watched, brown in complexion and slightly shrivelled as it swirled around till it landed by chance on the tip of her nose. The foreign feeling of the leaf give her a slight tickling sensation on her nose, that made her twitch it, which caused it to lose balance and fall away. Rogue gave a deep sigh as she rolled over to lay lounging on her stomach and resting the side of her head on her crossed forearms.

Rogue found herself thinking of how ironic her situation was; the nature that currently surrounding her was so welcoming and easy; and yet her life was not. She had been a resident and student at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngster for almost a year, before that she had once led a small town girl life in Mississippi as Anna Marie. She had a childhood full of love and happiness; it was only around her mid teen years when the significant changes in her life began. Firstly it began when her mother developed a new relationship, the man caused her mother to become cold, strict and at times violent. After one night, she had approached her mother to discuss the unhappiness that the new relationship was causing in her. Even at her young inexperienced age, she understood that things were not right.

Unfortunately Rogue sincere efforts only caused the rift to widen between them until finally things were said and secrets were revealed that made it literally impossible to going back to normal. The argument had led her to learn that the woman she had grew up calling her Mama, had actually been her Aunt Carrie, who had took it upon herself to raise her after her parents had abandoned her. Disgusted, betrayed and confused, she gathered a few things and savings from her part time job, she had walked out with no intention of returning. Rogue didn't feel safe and everything she thought she knew about herself ended up being one big fat lie.

She remembered wandering a small time that night, contemplating whether should take the four bus ride to go to Jackson or out of state. She was deep in thought that she didn't realise, that Cody had pulled up with his old school convertible p car and cruised beside her until he stuck his head of the driver's side and shouted,

"You ain't giving me nothin' to work with Darlin'."

Rogue turned her head slowly in his direction. "Huh?... Cody?"

"Been hootin' your way an' you gurl, didn't even bat those pretty lil greenies of yours." Rogue had stopped walking, which prompted Cody to stop his car, he opened the door and got out. He gently pulled her arm out of the duffle she had hanging off one shoulder and dropped it in his back seat. He then turned back to her, grab her by the hand and guided her over to the passenger side, where he opened the door and motioned her to get in.

For as long as she could remember, Rogue always had strong feelings for Cody Robbins. Well most of the girls did for his easy going nature, gentlemanly way and handsome looks. But they had history, they started off being equals, play mates running wild and silly but when his father's business really started kicking off, Cody ended up moving to the wealthy part of town and mixing with a different sort. However, he had never forgotten her and always had time for her or was there when she needed him the most. Like that night, she unloaded and told him everything, for a short time there was a feeling of a sense of relief and peace. Until he asked her;

"Have you ever been kissed girl?".

Rogue opened her eyes quickly, she didn't want to remember anymore, she wanted to keep those painful memories hidden deep, she couldn't afford to lose control. Now, as a student of the Xavier institute, she had come to a place, where she had to stop running because there was an understanding. They all shared the mutant gene, unique to everyone individually but they were one in the same.

She had started as the outcast of the group, but when the revelation between the relationship between Kurt, Mystic and herself came to light, friendships between other students and herself started to change. Kurt, Kitty and herself had become a trio of friends. But recently, with Kurt assigned to one of Xavier secret mission, she had seen a slow negative change in the dynamics of her friendship with Kitty and herself. Kitty had betrayed and lied to her.

Maybe it was jealousy she was feeling, that was slowly turning her bitter and making her exaggerate the situation. However, earlier in the day she had asked Kitty if wanted to drive into town and catch a movie, to which her usual pretty and always cheerful companion gave her a nervous response and mumble something about how she was suddenly feeling under the weather and rather just stayed indoors. Unfortunately for Rogue, an hour later she happened to come across an exchange been Kitty and one of the other girls Jubilee, who had recently became a Xavier student. Deep in conversation, the girls were happily excited and giggling. All Rogue could make out from Kitty was,"...please keep it a secret, okay and especially don't tell Rogue". Jean Grey then approached them and all three girls walked away together in union. Jean of all people, as well, the one who made her transition in the institute most difficult and had Scott eating out her hands.

Rogue wasn't upset, for the fact Kitty was making a friend (as she was always making new friends anyways) or evening keeping secrets from her; it was really just the fact that she felt that she was losing her. Kitty recently had been avoiding spending time with Rogue, always claiming that she was too busy. It not that she had come to rely on Kitty, it was just, Kitty was first of the girls to make an honest effort with Rogue, she never saw her as the cursed freak mutant outsider, but instead gave off the impression that maybe they were even best friends and was always wanting Rogue to open up and be herself.

I'm Now all of a sudden that changed, and with both Kurt and Kitty's absence Rogue was less approachable to the other students making her lonely situation even worse. Rogue hadn't truly had a close friend since Cody Robbins, and she winced in pain remembering him once again and how badly that ended. With the manifestation of her mutation, a friend lying in hospital helpless comatose and life in Mississippi once again left behind to protect the one closest to her hurt from her curse. Rogue sighed with sadness, as she pulled at the woven friendship bracelet Kitty had given her, remembering the girl's kind words;

"Sometimes a girl needs a hug, I can't hug you Rogue but I want you to take this and remember that I want to be your friend and I'm here for you when you need me."

It was really from that day onwards, that the dynamics of their friendship changed and Rogue really thought she had something with Kitty, possibly even the first female best friend she had in her life. Now uncertain why, Kitty had retreated and she was once again lonely.

Slowly taking a deep breath in, she felt a breeze blow a few strands of hair into her face, she tugged at section of her head that was platinum white, she considered dying it to her natural hair auburn to match the rest of her hair. But she slowly coming to like her unique hairstyle and while she started to let her hair grow out, she noticed that parts of her hair that was white, continued to grow on out white with no sign of any auburn roots. So she would leave it like that, different because she was different too. She twirled her finger around a strand of her hair before releasing it, taking a deep breath as the memory of that day which happened months ago, coming flooding back into her mind, especially whenever she let her guard down.

Rogue closed her eyes; to shut of her visual reality and through the memories of her mind transported herself back to that day, when she first met him.

Rogue stopped running, having no clue where she was. Maybe it was an abandoned shipping related facility, there were huge crates everywhere, making difficult to find the rest of her team. Rogue had been separated from the group as the situation had clearly heated and took a turn for the worse, with the arrival of Magneto newly assembled team. Were these suppose to be her new enemies, she wasn't sure but she was sure they saw her as an enemy just for being an X-Men, they were fight on opposing sides and they were not shy to attack.

Hearing a noise around the corner she pulled off her glove, her senses were tingling on alert mode. She knew someone was there, someone she wouldn't be happy to see, but there was nothing she could do about that. She just had to be ready to give them everything she had, if they had to play fight for survival, she had to win. She quickly rushed around the corner, to create an element of surprise to her opponent but bumped literally face to chest. A board muscular chest, she could tell, as his attire was skintight. She swallowed hard, took a step back and lifted her eyes up to his face.

All she does was stare, he was an Adonis, his face very masculine and rough with facial hair but as if it was a beautiful sculpture. But his eyes were crazy, red on black, demon eyes.

"Oh mah." She let out in a rushed breath. The corners of his mouth slowly lifted up into a smirk.

Rogue knew her mouth was hanging open, and made no move to shut it, she felt frozen in place. She recognised him from earlier; he was with others who were attacking them. Gone was her warrior spirit, a minute ago she was ready to do some damage, and now she was lost in the black pit of his eyes. She couldn't drag hers away, as if they were hypnotising her. She breathed in; she could smell him, cologne and cigarettes. She wanted to get closer to him but she couldn't move; they were only a few inches apart, he was edging closer to her. Her breathing quickened, she was nervous, how could she be like this with him.

She watched his whole face now, his lips were stretched into a smile still, she felt him lift up his hand and bring up a playing card between their faces. The Kings of Hearts, their eyes were locked together as he pushed it into her gloved hands. Eyes now wide in surprise, Rogue held on to it and had it grasped between her gloved fingertips. Instead of him letting go, he slowly drew the card and their hands down, leaning in closer to her. He got so close; she could feel his hot breath on her face. Was he going to kiss her? Rogue eyes blinked slowly.

It seemed like almost eternity had passed before he let go of the card and backed away. He made a salute gesture with his finger, followed by a small bow and then he was gone.

This was when a slightly dazed Rogue, brought the playing card slowly up, staring at it in wonder. She felt a burning sensation on her fingers which held on to card and the type of crackling noise you would hear when sparklers were alight. It took her a few more seconds before she realised it was going to blow up. With all her might, she tossed it as far as possible away from her just as it exploded.

"Why can't ah get this guy outta mah head?" Rogue asked herself, as she opened her eyed looking at the darkening sky.

"Good gawd, what is wrong with meh? The asshole knowingly tried to blow meh up for gawdsake and Im acting like Im in love with him or something." Rogue groaned as she brushed hand along her face.

"But his eyes… It felt like I was being hypnotised. I can't get them outta mah head." Rogue closed her eyes once again to picture them. "Ah can't even concentrate on anything anymore. All ah can see are his eyes, wherever ah go. Ah have to forget about him. Ah'm never gonna see him again anyway..."

The sky suddenly thundered, Rogue felt a rain droplet hit her cheek, bring her out of her thoughts. She slowly sat up, breathing in the now cooler air as more droplets were escaping the overhead leaves protection the oak tree was providing. She looked on out at the rain, before she slowly got up to head on back down her path to the Xavier mansion. When she reached a small distance away from the tree, something made her turn back and look on it. Rouge thought she caught a glimpse of something. But with the rain blurring her vision, hair, and skin clothes hanging heavy, significant dampen. She thought it would be better to seek shelter.

But if she had returned to the tree, she would have found that the joker playing card had been mysteriously landed out of the tree, where she had once lain moments before.

* * *

A/N: Pulled on all my knowledge on Rogue and multiple X-Men series to support my writing in this chapter but future developments in the story will be taken where I see fit. I'm not a professional writer but I'm open to positive critique and comments, so please feel free to do so. Sorry for incorrect grammar or spelling to lazy to correct after a while and I speak British English so…haha


	2. Chapter 2

**SO LIKE A ROSE**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the X-Men franchise; I just borrow the characters purely for my own (and maybe yours!) entertainment.

Author Note: Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed and followed! I'm glad my story is being received so well. I really appreciate all the feedback. :)

Apologise for the formatting, can't seem to figure how to include line breaks once I copy and paste to FF site.

Sorry it took a while to get this out, I wrote the chapter but it felt to typical to the point that it was boring, so I decided to explore something new, unfortunately that meant losing 600 words in this chapter, so this will be shorter than the last.

* Italics within text are for thought or emphasis.

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

She pushed herself off the ground, stumbling backwards as she was barely able to stand on her own two feet. She was finding it difficult to breath; her ribs were heavily bruised, maybe even broken. Her body ached in an excruciating pain from head to toe, her eyes watered and her throat dry. Her hair was dull with debris, disheveled and stained with blood. The source of the blood started following steadily from her temple down across her cheek, she wiped it away with back of her hand. The rest of her face bore scratches, felt numb and their was early signs of swelling.

The injuries inflicted upon her was the consequential impact of when he had pulled down on her now sprained ankle from where she had been flying to get away. She tried kicking him off but his nails dug in and he had thrown her hard into a derelict building. That only, should have killed her, but it hadn't, she wasn't normal, she had survived worse but damn it, it didn't feel good.

Under different circumstances she was sure the ambush would have played out differently but she was out of her element, before she could even suss out she had walked into a trap, he had injected her with an unknown clear substance which effects proved to be destabilising. It caused her to hallucinate, her vision was blurred and she barely keep her balance up. She was incapable of having control over herself, her mind, and her powers.

For once, in the longest of time, she felt truly weak and helpless. She shivered due to the cold as she tried to make her way deeper down town, moving as quickly as could even though her body felt heavy and beaten, working against her to surrender to her ill fate.

But she had to try to gain enough ground to lose him; maybe there was a chance. Her last attack had sent him crashing into a car, the had been no sign of him but from what she had witnessed of his regenerating abilities, he would be up in no time.

Her superiors had assigned her onto this mission, suspicious occurrences were happening in the mutant world. She had volunteered herself to investigate this most recent case but unknowingly to her it had been a trap. What scared her the most he had been waiting for her, he knew exactly who she was and he had the plan to drag her back from the hell he crawled out from.

She could not understand why, but for some reason she was the target. She glanced down at herself, her battle uniform - the one she had worn in pride, keeping her safe, an iconic image of hope and power to all who knew who she was and defended - was in tatters. Her eye mask, the most vital in disguising her identity, had long ago been removed during the battle, making her feel vulnerable and naked.

Her attacker was a savage beast. His appearance, size and behaviour was undeniably animalistic. He had enjoyed with pleasure her look of terror and despair. She could sense his pleasure in the hunt, making her weak and allowing her to escape only to come after her again.

She had tried her best to fight him off, even with what her powers could allow her to do, her effort seemed futile as he just seemed to heal over and over again, no matter how hard her punches had gotten or how many times she had swung him into buildings or cars. He just seemed to be amused.

She bit her lip and she could taste blood; her gut feeling told her something was wrong. She could feel her heart skip a beat, as she saw a dark shadow dart in front of her. He was here; he was hunting her like predator hunts their prey. His large claw came down across face, knocking her out cold.

Game over.

* * *

Xavier pulled off his helmet interface, as the three-dimensional images of his mind faded portraying the kidnapping of an ally female mutate began to clear from spherical room. He had sense her outcry of help and he had come to use Cerebro to enhance the connection between the woman and himself, as her brain signature was weak, corrupt and muddled, with the final blow to her head, everything went blank. He, even with help of Cerebro could not accurately pin point her location, so any attempt of a rescue mission by his X-men was hopeless.

What disturbed him even more the face of her attacker was more than familiar; his involvement in the crime and the fact that his own brain waves were being protected through magnetic shields was unnerving, something was not right here.

* * *

"Hey Hon, the next one is on me, drink up…" An old fashioned glass, containing one of his all time favourite alcoholic drinks, Southern Comfort, was poured over ice, and slid over the bar counter top to team up with the other one he had just finished. Southern Comfort never failed to remind him of the all the old good times in the French Quarter, back in little old New Orleans, Lousiana. This here was a true Cajun drink, no Cajun would deny that communities had grew close or disputes been resolved by cracking open a bottle of the stuff.

Gambit took a long drag from his cigarette he was holding between his thumb and forefinger; his eyes squinted just a little as he inhaled deeply till it hit the spot, then he exhaled through his nose. He lifted his glaze from where he was sat on a bar stool, firstly his eyes caught a generous pair of bosom that was purposely out on display. He had saw the barmaid undo a few buttons when she saw him enter the bar. He seemed to have that effect on woman and he sure as hell loved it. He gave her an appreciative smirk, and it wasn't for the drink. "Merci beaucoup, cher. You know how to treat a man… très bien "

The barmaid giggled, flipping her long thick brunette hair over shoulder, she leaned over the counter to lower her voice so only he could hear her and also give him a full view of her cleavage."One more hour hon, and I can show you how generous I can be with-"

She was cut off as the bar doors burst open with force, but Gambit hardly flinched, he could see from the reflection of glasses that were lined behind the barmaid, that word had got out about the little card game he had played earlier in the bar with a few of the locals patrons. "Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq…just five, that wasn't any fun." He thought.

"Getcha ass out mutant, you ain' want'd round these parts."

"Yeah! This joint 'ere is for us normal folk."

"Get yo' ass out of here. Patty , 'ur a fine miss, you stay away from that freak, you hear me!"

"We isn't interested in any bull crap mutant tolerance, that the TV been hollering about."

Indifferent to the outburst that escaped the men behind him, Gambit winked over at the flirty barmaid and knocked his drink. Patty, the barmaid however was concerned, "Calm down boys, y'all know we 'ere are good folk and we welcome all types."

"Till hell we –" In frustration the youngest of the mob spoke and pulled on Gambit's shoulder, he lost the capacity to speak as in the blink of an eye Gambit followed in one swift movement by twisting the armed used by the man behind the man's own back and Gambit pulled out card in front of him.

"You see here m'sieur, this card I used to win our game, non."

"Get the hell offa me mutant scum!"

"Ahh m'sieur, why you so tense? Gambit thought you wanted play again, relax…now pay attention here, you see my card. It is nothing, nothing at all" And to prove the point, Gambit charged the card, it glowed in an alarming sort of way. Now all eyes in the bar focused on the young man he had entrapped, the card and Gambit. Gambit threw the card in the air for it to explode. Gambit chuckled.

"Now listen m'sieur, Gambit only gonna say this once. Never touch the trench, d'accord" And with that last statement, he threw the boy back to his people, the force knocking him down and half of the others stumbled. Gambit lit another cigarette, before turning to the brunette barmaid who was now oozing out lust filled want from her eyes, impressed by the little display. "Oui, She definitely accepted all types." Gambit thought to himself.

"Excusez-moi cher, Gambit gonna decline your kind offer from before." And with that he opened the bar doors and disappeared into the night.

* * *

"You fool!" Magneto exclaimed with dissatisfaction and frustration, "You were supposed to drug her and bring her unharmed. She is vital to this operation, when my orders have been given, you must follow them accordingly."

Sabertooth removed the woman from his shoulders, where he had been carrying her since she collapsed and placed her to lie on the examination bed. It had been fun to mess with her. He was perfectly aware how little of the injection he was supposed to have given her. But, so what? He had done his job. For whoever she was and whatever her purpose was, he didn't care.

"She is here, no big deal."

Behind him, Magneto had lifted his hand in his direction, fully prepared to knock out the arrogant disobedient streak within his lackey. He actions were only just to be stopped by Mystique, one of the most loyal to his causes, who had emerged from the shadows. He had not fully told her, the extent to which the girl was needed, him himself wasn't sure. It was part of the plan.

Mystique spoke, "She is here, time is of the essence, and we must act fast. Her physical injuries can easily be repaired, it my actually work in our favour, but we must disrupt her mind immediately."

Mystique now shifted from her original blue skin into the mutant that was a crucial key in the plan. She had not understood why, but she trusted Magneto. Her yellow eyes shifted to green and menacing, she approached the woman as fully transformed and placed her pale hands around her neck tightly and squeezed hard.

Blue eyes flashed open in terror, the captive tried to grab the hand of the woman who was strangling her but she was strapped down hard to a bed. The pressure on her neck and the events of the previous attack still fresh on her mind, she couldn't cope and felt her body weakening. Just before she once again blacked out, she a voice that sent chills down her spine. "Mah name is Rogue, and ah'm gonna destroy your life and kill you mutant bitch."

* * *

A/N: I hope that I have managed to keep your attention still! I'm sure its not what you were expecting, haha. :) Even though this is following my own direction, I hope you can see I'm trying to stay true to the way we all know and love of our favorite characters. Including trying to keep character's dialects readable.

I will try my best to get new chapters out quite frequently. Have a lovely weekend and don't forget to review! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**SO LIKE A ROSE**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the X-Men franchise; I just borrow the characters purely for my own (and maybe yours!) entertainment. 

Author's Note: Hello again! :) Thank you for the review, I love reading your feedback, very encouraging. Thank you also for the new follows and favourites to this story. Please continue to show your support, when I receive notifications it acts as a reminder that you are loving (or hating) what you are reading and expecting more.

One thing I will like to say, although this has been put in the genre for X-Men Evolution, my heart will also be with X-Men of the 90s. The Gambit of this fan fiction is 70% based on 90s version, the portrayal Gambit in Evolution is quite weak with that much to work with. 

**CHAPTER THREE**

She wasn´t sure how long she had been asleep for, she just felt her senses slowly reactive one by one. Firstly, it was her sense of smell and not for a good reason. It wasn't due to the fresh scent of brewed coffee or fresh warm croissant that she enjoyed in the mornings escaping from the French patisserie that was close to her apartment, oh no it was something foul. She wrinkled her nose at the terrible stench, the strong odor had aroused her back into consciousness and she could have done without that pungent wake up call.

Secondly, she felt entrapped by foreign tight forces on her wrist, lower abdomen and ankles. She tried to jerk her hand up but it was strapped down tight and restricted. This made her anxious and caused to jerk around more violently to free herself, but it was no good. _What was happening?_ She thought desperately, _where's my strength?_ _What had they done to me?_ _I don't feel like myself anymore…._

Her frustrated movements had unfortunately also caused her to be aware of her pained derrière, the fleshy cushion of her buttocks seemed nonexistent, and bone felt like it was grind against the very stiff and uncomfortable chair she had been restrained too.

She also felt a crick in her neck, apart from her earlier forced movements she was still in the position that she assumed she slept in. Her head hung low, chin to chest and her poor neck was supporting the weight her head, she made a soft groaned at the realisation of this.

Finally, her throat felt dry, she slowly swallowed to moisten it. She then slowly poked out her pink tongue to add moisture back to her dry lower lip, she could taste her own blood. Damn she was thirsty, she was hungry and her body ached like hell. _Sweet Lord, what is happening?_

Suddenly she a heard movement coming from straight ahead of her, she didn't realise someone else was there with her. She lifted her head slowly and opened her eyes only to see his beady black eyes was staring straight back, his lip curled up. _Sheesh_ , what a _bastard._ And with that everything came back to her.

Her voice was horse, his name escaped her lips.

"Vic…Victor…"

In a blink of an eye, he charged towards her and had his hand firmly wrapped around her throat, shoving her head hard back into of chair. Her blood shot blue eyes winced at the agonizing pain that she felt just below the crown of her head. He scowled as he clenched tighter and she let out a loud piercing cry. She turned her pained neck from side to side as much as she could, to try to relieve some of the pressure of his tight grip.

He was chocking her and as it was, she felt like she was ready to lose consciousness again, she didn't know many times she had blacked out but she knew the majority of it was because of his brutality to her. But his intent this time around was solely to cause her pain, she could see in his eyes that enjoyed the inflicting suffering on others, he got off on their tortured cries and his dominance over them.

"….please…let me go Vic-."

"Don't call me that!" He growled.

 _Oh boy, he was mad._ She knew that she was unnerving him; it was a big risk she was taking but a forgotten memory had come to her whilst she had slept. While on special assignment she met an Operative. The two were paired up and shared a number of adventures together, even briefly becoming lovers. During one of their infamous escapades, they clashed with the brute Victor Creed. The only difference between then and now was that he years had not been kind and added more to his persona – vicious, bigger and scarier than before. She didn't initially recognise him but she had suddenly pieced together his identity.

She wasn't going to pretend for second that this knowledge which change much. Even back then he had been working for the wrong side, but she had hoped that his poor tortured soul would have found redemption, as she did with all of the bad cases that the nature of her job had caused her to cross paths with. But she guessed she was wrong, some people changed and some people didn't. She was one of those people that changed. Her change happened years after their first and only encounter with Victor Creed. She used to be a naïve civilian but due to that fateful day on assignment she had become something much more….But with the drugs and sudden ambush, Victor and Rogue had somehow managed to take this away from her.

"You can't get away with this _Victor Creed_ " She said through gritted teeth.

Victor's beady black eyes squinted, his head moving gently to and fro as he was trying to place her. "Who are you woman?"

 _Hmm._ She thought, he had clearly not clocked on to their previous encounter as she had. It seemed that he knew her for her pseudonym, but not the woman she had been when she had first met him. _I guess that is what happens when you put in so much effort upholding a secret identity._

"You don't remember me buddy?" She let a small chuckle, to which she saw weary look come across his face. It was the first time she has had the upper hand. "You won't get away with this, he will find me..."

"Enough with these mind games!" He growled out, he brought her head forward by her neck only to bash it back.

"Arahh…." She let a pained groan.

Victor stilled unexpectedly, he made no further movements apart from a quick sniff and only slightly relaxed. "Pretty _boy_ …" he let out in a snarl, he had identified third presence in the room.

A man moved out of the shadows, now fully visible to her, his long legs made him almost as tall as Victor and half as wide, with a powerful angular build. He eyes turned to look at her, she stared straight into them and it was as if she was look into burning molten lava and black smoke set in a chiseled face sporting a 5'o clock shadow. Thick beautiful auburn hair was cut into an edgy style, where it was short on the sides and top of his head carried most of his hair length and strands causally swept to side, some even falling disobediently into his eyes.

Even though her situation stunk to the heavens, this man was undeniably one of the most sexiest men that walked the face of this earth. She blushed slightly thinking of her inappropriate thoughts especially with the animal Victor crawling into her neck, She moved her eyes away from the perfect stranger to Victor and back to him again and in his eyes she saw a brief flash of something that resembled pity. The stranger turned to her assailant and finally spoke with voice weighted in a mix Southern regional dialect and French.

"Mon dieu…Mon ami, it's enough! Gambit don't like how you hand this woman…tres grotesque"

"She's alive, isn't she." Victor's returncomment was quick and defensive. He furrowed his brows together and said flippantly. "What do you care, you know the plan"

"Gambit, no _care_ what the plan is. We don't treat women like this..." His hand gestured towards her. She could only imagine herself being a sight for sore eyes. Her mood slightly lifted when focused in and she saw he had brought her a glass of water and bowl of something steaming. Her stomach growled in anticipation but her captors, _Gambit_ and Victor continued to converse.

"Gambit gonna say tis once…listen quick…you touch her one more time and you _will_ regret _mon ami_."

Victor growled, he snatched his hand away, his nails scrapping her neck as he pounced his way over to Gambit, eating away the distance that was between them until they were just a few feet part.

"You want to mess with me boy?"

"You know Gambit is game for anythin´."

"Remember, I know who you are _really_ working for…"

"Oui, Magneto may think he is pulling the string ´ere, but you and I both know who's really in charge..."

As Victor made his exit, barging passed Gabmit as he went. Gabmit made a small smile of victory, it wasn't clear before, the alpha had been determined.

He then focused back to her, a made slow strides over to where she was. "Here cher, drink." He brought the glass to her lips and she hurried to take in gulps of water.

"You be hungry cher?"

"Yes"

"Then hopefully, this left over bisque Remy made will hit the spot, no?" He moved to set the water down near the front leg of the chair she was restrained to. Gambit then turned away from her, the trench coat his was wearing swishing gently behind him. He had disappeared to a darken area of the room, only to return dragging a wood chair in one hand and her bowl of bisque in another. He set the chair directly in front of her and sat down, with legs spread part.

He moved the bowl to hold firmly in the base of his left hand and picked up a large spoon that was left in the soup, mixed till he broke the skin that had risen to the top and it become smooth once more. Before lifting a generous portion, firstly moving close to his lips to give a gentle blow to cool it down and then he it moved it close to the base of her lower lip, waiting for her to allow entry. She granted access and was overcome with pleasure as she tasted the flavours of creamy corn and crab.

" _So_ good." She mumbled to between spoonfuls.

He made a smile and continued to feed her in silence until the contents of the bowl had disappeared.

Gambit set the bowl down to the ground and pulled out a folded handkerchief from his inside breast pocket. She watched as he used some of the remaining water from her meal to dampen the cloth and then used it to clean up some of the dirt, grime, dried and fresh blood off her face. He sighed "Tres jolie."

"Thanks…you too pretty boy."

"My pleasure cher"

"Why?" She didn't have to say anymore, they both knew that she meant. Why be so kind to her? Why not inflict more pain and torture similar to Victor and Rogue _._

"Cher…From where Gambit is from, we treat the womens with respect. You don't hit queens." He gave her a serious look. "And besides…" He continued, "nothin' is more scarier to Gambit, than a woman scorned, you women never let your pain and revenge go." He gave a half smile to that last statement; his eyes looked like he was somewhere else for a second, until he shaked his head trying to fizzle out a memory. "So, Gabmit no looking to make enemies out of you"

Gambit got off his chair, moved the chair back to where he found it. She could tell that he was getting ready to leave her. _And then what?_ She couldn't stay like.

"Please…." She let out in a choked voice.

"Tell me what you need Cher."

"Please you have to help me…"

He was silent.

"You know it's wrong, they did something to me and I have lost her…."

"No cher, shes still there. Keep fighting…"

Gabmit moved to kneel beside her, and placed it huge hands over hers and gave it a squeeze in reassuring way. He looked at the deep pools of sadness in her eyes. This was the woman that they were trying to break. The damage was done, anything else would just trying to permentantly fuck her mental psyche. Gambit knew this wasn't right, he knew her story. She was one of the greats and that's why she had been chosen. Mystique and Magento kept drugging her with the inhibitor and Sabretooth was her guard, who had turned violent abuser, Gambit looked her skin which was plagued of scratches, bruises and gashes as proof of brute's handwork.

He and Pryo had been watching surveillance, when he had saw how she had been treated on the monitor. He had decided that he was reading to end this. He made his way He made quickly to her side and under a pretence of how his own dinner was meant for her. He looked at her, he knew what the plan was, the long term end game...Magneto only had the instructions and was playing the part. He didn't know however Gambit was not working for him as he assumed, but working for his own interests…he was given other instructions. Helping her now, would probably just speed thing along.

He leaned in to kiss her, soft and sweet on her lips, she looked at him wide eyed and but relaxed into the kiss, before he moved to break it.

"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.

"Gabmit just likst to take his payment up front…kissing a beautiful women can inspire Gambit to do anything."

She looked at him surprised and blushed, and she knew, only he could get away with doing something like that.

"Ok cher, tell me what you want…."

"Please…you need to reach this man for me…."

* * *

Sometime much later, Rogue walked down the hallway, till she reached his door. She knew she had to do it, for some reason she had felt ready. She just needed his help. He was the only one who could; she had a theory and needed to run it by him, what if she was right? It would change _everything_.

It was there all along, she had been doing it all along, unconsciously. When she had to keep all the personality within her at bay or when she had to use them, channel them. She was performing some sort of control. It must be possible to a have a _full_ sense of control.

Before her gloved knuckles could hit the wooden door, he told her to come in, telepathically. She should have known he would have been awaiting her arrival. She twisted the doorknob and entered his office.

"My dear, you have been channelling you thoughts to me all evening…out of politeness, I mental blocked them out but I knew you would come."

The professor was sat behind his desk; from the beginning he had been patient with her. She was different from his other students, possibly could even be considered their most dangerous threat. She could touch him and his very being could be her.

"Professor, ah don't know if ah'm crazy and it's just wishful thinking but…ah think, ah think there must be a way to control mah power."

There was a moment of silence, the professor knew it was difficult for the young mutant, she was so very very rare, even though her powers made her incapable to touch freely, with a simple touch, she could easily over power a lot of mutants. Even the night they had gone to recruit her, she had easily over powered his team knocking out both Ororo and Kurt with her touch and mastering their powers to use against X-men, to protect herself.

He had been happy she had eventually come to them, she needed to be guided in the right way and come to her own. She under the guidance of Mystique and the Brotherhood the situation was dangerous for all was involved and most importantly herself.

"Professor, please…ah think ah need to go into my own-"

Her words were broken off, the security system alarms in the mansion were on high alert, she look around the room, her eyes met with the professor, she wasn't able to finish with her request, but she knew she had been heard. Rogue left the room to join the others; she knew her help was needed.

The professor reversed back in his wheelchair, frowning he followed the young mutant, to confront the situation.

* * *

Author's note: Thumbs up, down? Review to let me know your thoughts on this chapter and the story so far?

Also, if you're enjoying So Like A Rose, please look out for new fan fiction, **Acolytes: The Motorcycle Club** featuring my all time favourite comic couple Gambit and Rogue, as well as some other well loved pairings. Working on the first chapter now, not sure if I want this to be more AU and civllan based. Well let me know if you will be interested.


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